These girls are on fire

More than 100 area high school junior and senior girls attended Thursday's 2018 Teen Girls Go to College event at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. The annual event, sponsored by in part by the Schliemann Center for Women's Health Education, awards more than $10,000 in scholarships to young women who may not have considered pursuing a degree after graduating high school.(Photo11: Helen Mansfield/Special to The Bulletin)

The atmosphere inside the Ed Coulter Performing Arts Center was charged with positive energy, popular songs celebrating female empowerment, and to take a line from the Spice Girls, it focused on “girl power.”

The Sheid at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home served as the backdrop for the 2018 Teen Girls Go to College event Thursday morning. The annual event, going on its 10th year, provides an opportunity for area girls in their junior and senior years of high school to see what local educational opportunities are available to them.

Stefany Isham, coordinator of the Schliemann Center for Women’s Health Education, one of the sponsors of the event, said more than $10,000 in scholarships were awarded to area students who might not have considered pursuing their education beyond high school.

More than 100 young women came to the ASUMH campus from Cotter, Flippin, Norfork, Yellville-Summit, Calico Rock and Bakersfield, Mo. Attendees heard messages from various speakers on the benefits of positive thinking and taking on leadership roles.

Resident Brenda Allen, who recently received “Woman of the Year” from the Mountain Home Business and Professional Women, served as guest speaker.

Allen recounted her own personal and professional experiences, telling the attendees that she has had four to five careers in her own life.

Starting off as a single mother of two, Allen worked as an x-ray technician in Jonesboro. Through personal successes and heartbreaks, she went to work in the construction business where she not only learned to how to construct buildings, she learned to “build relationship capital.”

Now a life coach, Allen has a book entitled “Rise Above,” that will be published later this year.

Kandice Anderson and Kenzie Bruce, both seniors at Norfork High School, took time to speak to Baxter County Sheriffs Administrator and Deputy Julie Tilley during the career table portion of the event. Career professionals made themselves available to the young women to discuss the ins and outs of their potential fields of study.

“This is pretty cool,” said Anderson. “I’m thinking about going to school and getting my basic done here (ASUMH).”

“I love this thing,” added Bruce, who is considering a career in law enforcement. “Everyone is so friendly and helpful.”

This was Tilley’s fifth year as a career professional at Teen Girls Go to College.

“I enjoy talking to the girls to see if they want to serve their communities in some way,” Tilley said.

Tilley said the Baxter County Sheriffs Department offers a volunteer reserve program for those who may not consider law enforcement as a first choice, but gives them an opportunity to experience it.

Kara Thompson, a senior at Mountain Home High School and scholarship recipient, said she is interested in pursuing a career in the neonatal nursing field. The $1,000 scholarship she received for the certified nursing assistant program at ASUMH will get her toward that goal.

“It will offer me financial stability, because I don’t have that kind of money to fork out for college,” Thompson said.

• Drew Taylor Blair, Mountain Home High School, $1,000 scholarship to for the phlebotomy or certified nursing assistant program at Arkansas State University Mountain Home. Donated by the Schliemann Center for Women’s Health Education’s Advisory Board, in honor of Dr. Mary Wren.

• Hannia Lourdes Garay Reyes, Cotter High School, $1,000 scholarship to for the certified nursing assistant program at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. Donated by Janice and John Anderson, in memory of Bob Kauffman.

• Cameron Mascolino, Yellville-Summit High School, $1,000 scholarship for the certified nursing assistant program at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. Donated by Janice and John Anderson, in memory of Bob Kauffman.

• Sydney Philipsen, Yellville-Summit High School, $1,000 scholarship for the certified nursing assistant program at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. Donated by Janice and John Anderson in memory, of Bob Kauffman.

• Kara Lyn Thompson, Mountain Home High School, $1,000 scholarship for the certified nursing assistant program at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. Donated by Janie and Tom Robbins.

• Brandi Sullins, Bruno-Pyatt High School, $1,000 scholarship for the certified nursing assistant program at North Arkansas College. Donated by Janice and John Anderson, in memory of Bob Kauffman.

• Morgan Kelli Wilcoxson, Cotter High School, $500 renewable scholarship to the University of Central Arkansas, donated by Martha Grant.

• Maria E. Paz, Flippin High School, $500 renewable scholarship to the University of Arkansas, donated by Martha Grant.